Twitter conversations across the UMC seminaries (possibly in the fall) and with students and faculty (possibly in the spring)
모든 UMC신학교에게 트위터로 (가능하다면 가을에) 대화하기 학생들과 교수진들도 함께 (가능하다면 봄에)

Miscellaneous기타

Every first meeting of a month will still be administrative. Representatives from all student organizations will be expected to attend and financial matters will be discussed. 매달 첫째 주 모임은 단체 대표들의 모임으로. 모든 학생회의 대표들은 필참하여 예산관련 대화를 할 것이 요구됨

Every last meeting of the month will be an executive officer’s-only meeting.
매달 마지막 주 모임은 집행위원회만의 모임으로

We will vote on changing the meeting time for this semester at the next meeting.
학생회 회의 시간 조정관련은 다음주 모임에 투표하기로

Confusion over if 100 Bay State university-wide dinner is open to all students. Marsh Chapel staff have been advertising it as if it is university-wide, but website says and RAs told the meal was for undergraduates only.

Christmas

Proposed to have a party during this meeting time; possibly December 12th at 5; Wednesday, Dec 11 4:30-6:30.

Ashley will coordinate out food, decorations, and room arranging with Anne and Kourtni’s help

Make sure staff is invited

Ask Robin to help spread word

Dr. Shenton will work to think of other people to reach out to as well

Community Lunch announcement the week before will emphasize staff and faculty are invited

TV: Dean Lightsey wants to know where students want the flatscreen TV. This is the class gift from last year, it’s been purchased, just have to figure out where to put it. It will have announcements about STH events, possibly managed through Dean Lightsey’s office likely through Valentina. General consensus for basement placement.

Flyer policy: Ability to advertise is limited. Dean Lightsey’s office offered easels on floors 1-3 in the meantime. Already bulletin boards on floors 1 & 2 but they’re locked and STHSA body would like a more democratic way /less red rape way of having student organizations advertise. Discussion:

Some students prefer email; may not pay attention to a bulletin board. Though other students articulate that they get so many emails they often don’t read them all and would appreciate other physical reminders in the STH building.

Physical boards allow people outside the STH bubble to advertise to us

Is a screen really green? Is the carbon footprint actually smaller with a TV screen?

If concerned about how much paper is around, having designated space cuts down on the amount of flyers. Also get a lot of emails per day and often ignore so personally likes flyers to catch your eye.

Also proposed an optional comprehensive Google calendar for the school you can be a part of if you want to. A calendar does currently exist but only about 5 people in the school can edit it.

Ashley had tried to get organization presidents to send their events to make a master calendar but no one got back to her

A desire to use Facebook/social media in addition, not in place of a place to post hard copy flyers.

Desire for regulation over how flyers get posted AND taken down after events end.

Yun Jeong – international student concerns.

Writing works is a great, free resource, but international students have particular issue with the policy surrounding editing of take-home exams or final papers:

STH prohibits assistance with exams. Know school has limitations on making writing center works, but there are only 3 employees and they’re often booked and international students get frustrated that there isn’t an international student only source. Can there be a priority for international student use?

Existing tension with domestic students that Writing Works is heavily booked by international students in the past

Professors can say writing works can be used for take-home exams or papers for grammatical help only if they email the Writing Works Center.

Proposed idea of more workshops for international students throughout the year, utilization of ESL writing skills appointments at the Education Resource Center (university-wide writing resource) in addition to the Writing Works Center at STH.

Supposedly there’s a handbook for international students in Boston, though Yun Jeong never received it. Could be helpful to have introductory course or time connected to orientation. Would likely be more helpful if the handbook were offered before orientation and in multiple languages.

Jospeh, Yun Jeong, and Jason will work together to draft the email and send it off for consideration at the next AAPF meeting. Will include the deans in the email.

Proposed idea to have students be proofreaders for 1 or 2 credits per semester.

Proposed idea to expanding new student orientation to have time before the first year orientation for international students only.

Housing could be an obstacle; maybe reach out to current students that wouldn’t mind housing international students temporarily

We will also reach out to the international chaplain at Marsh, Brittany, to see what she already has going or how she might be able to help.

Proposed idea to expand the mentorship to have a specific focus on international students

Maybe get KSA involved and have people who have been here longer be mentors

Ashley has tried in the past and couldn’t get much response but willing to try again

Kristen – Hoodie Competition

On the basis that we did not have a quorum of students voting and that all possible designs were not included, we will revote Monday-Wednesday of next week AND have a paper vote at Community Lunch next Wednesday.

On design went to Kristen’s spam folder and wasn’t found until after voting had ended.

A design from a few years ago was brought to the officers’ attentions

General consensus is a desire to reopen voting, as some had discussed doing their own separate hoodie and this was viewed as divisive by some and there is an overall desire to have unity with this design.

Haley – Fall is an accurate amount of what we received. Spring and summer projections are based on last year’s numbers. This fall was about $1000 more than last so there may be more for our spring and summer allocations, but we can’t assume that right now.

There was an explanation of how Community Lunch had been funded by STHSA to date as well as the amount spent on student organizations’ budgets.

Still need to vote on amounts for student travel, the Clayroom outing, Graduation Celebration, Thanksgiving party, and Christmas party.

Has been some word about helping with a Thanksgiving Party for students in STH that aren’t going home for Thanksgiving and would be a partnership event.

Christmas party would also be a partnership event

Current projections don’t include next semester’s Community Lunch amount. Dean Lightsey’s office will be paying for some of the 9 unfilled, but Lightsey’s office has yet to cover any Community Lunches so it’s possible they will be contributing about $10,000 to the Community Lunch Student Group for the spring. Planning to set aside $5000 for Community Lunch in case it’s needed but likely won’t be needing to cover all lunches.

The $6500 surplus from last year is not figured into our current year’s budget of approximately $32,000 but is rather being saved as a cushion for emergencies. Joseph explains that some of that cushion will likely wind up going to student interest groups and possibly may need to go to STHSA events like Graduation Celebration because we cannot assume we will receive the same amount of money from Dean Lightsey’s office this year as we did last year.

Student Travel Budget Discussion:

To streamline the application process, we transfer a to-be-determined amount to Dean Lightsey’s office who’s now in charge of approving travel reimbursement: $200 if not presenting. Up to $500 if you are. Always have more requests than funds. Dean Lightsey’s office is contributing $2000 to this line item.

STHSA proposes $3200 for this line item.

Tim wants students to have a say in a general way about how the money is used. Desi explains we decided last year as a body to turn over this decision making process to Dean Lightsey’s office. Joseph we should put any stipulations/strings attached to the money we give to Dean Lightsey’s office today when we decide the amount to transfer.

Limitations: Students can only use the travel funds once in your time here and priority goes to students for whom conferences are professional development (not fun trips).

General acknowledgement that this would limit opportunities to fund lower priority items but that this is the nature of prioritizing budget line items.

This is comparable to what we spent last year.

VOTE PASSES: 13-1-4

Graduation Celebration Discussion:

Haley asks how to allocate the remaining balance (just over $4200), possibly graduation celebration? Desi, as the one organizing the event, says last year, about $5000-$6000 was the amount spent and was about $6000 less than the year before. Would be hard to do it for less than the amount spent last year, and though we will likely charge for non-graduating students again this year, not wanting to charge more than $10/student as we are aware that money is tight for most of us. Discussion ensued about the necessity to decide this amount now. It was decided we should at least list an amount for Desi to take to her meeting with Dean Lightsey’s office. Ky proposes to make the Graduation Celebration budget line item $3000. Haley 2nds. Discussion:

Because this is a special event for graduating students, it shows STHSA committed to making this special for graduating students.

Some concern that anything is going to happen today or a month from now that will help Desi and other planners, though Desi thinks having a baseline amount will be helpful when she talks with Dean Lightsey’s office.

Group: students interested in the Book Of Discipline, “Book Of Discipline Enthusiasts”, want to purchase thirteen 2012 Book Of Disciplines with $300. The publisher doesn’t offer discounts for students. Books Of Disciplines would go to students who have already signed up to receive them.

Maggie moves to have the Book of Discipline Enthusiasts receive $300 for thirteen Book of Disciplines. Benjamin 2nds. Discussion:

Question about what happens when students graduate? Plan was for these students to keep the books. Desi offers the example that if a group of STH runners asked for money to enter a marathon as an STH group in the race, the money would only go to benefit them. We also already tend to fund stoles for when BSA members’ graduate.

The STH Library won’t take one of their books, though Soren is trying to work with the library. In general, though, the way the library can receive new books isn’t as straightforward as just donating one to them.

It’s also suggested this be looked at as members of a denomination being equipped to do their ministry.

Could buy an extra book and put it somewhere, even if you can’t get it in the STH library, you could have one somehow available within STH. AMMENDED MOTION: $300 for 14 Books Of Disciplines. VOTE PASSES: 9-0-8

Approximately 20 people have signed up to paint mugs for the new community space. If we budget approximately $500 for each event, that should cover both events. We will have a more accurate budget once the final count has been determined (next Wednesday is the last day to sign up). We can vote at the next STHSA meeting on the actual amount. Also, the Spiritual Life Office’s contribution is at least $100 but might be able to be more. We will tell Jennifer Mihok this space doesn’t need her old mugs but that Theo House could use them if she wants to donate them somewhere with STH. The logistics for the day of is to meet at 5pm at STH and take the T to The Clayroom or for people to go directly to Clayroom between 6-6:30.

HOODIE UPDATE

The winner was Melody Sanford’s design – the black and white handwritten design. We are still waiting to hear about if the image can be printed over zipper as well as if the manufacturer we’ve contacted uses sustainable practices (i.e. no sweatshops). Joseph should have an update on this at the next meeting.

— Katie Cole and Kathryn House have both used American Apparel before, so if this current manufacturer is not viable, American Apparel could be an option.

–We will be circulating a sign-up sheet to get a sense of the number of people interested in a hoodie. We will need a minimum number to order them though that number is still TBD. People interested in hoodies will need to pay up front.

BUDGET

Desi wants to open the floor for any issues to be listed all at once then Haley will answer what she can. Then if there are still questions, list them all and return first to Haley for further clarification. Ky raises two concerns:

Ky wants to reassess percentages of the budget in lieu of the allotted amount we’ve been given by SAO. (“budget in relation to allotted amount of money – percentages and prioritization”)

Ky wants a budgeting review at the end of the year (“zero line budgeting”)

Haley explains how the budget works now and to address the previously mentioned concerns:

When we say a student organization can have up to $800 that meant they can spend it in any way they want to as long as they don’t go over $800. Thus the transferred funds puts the student organizations in charge of how they spend that money and SAO is now responsible for monitoring how student organizations spend their money and reimbursing student organizations, not STHSA. It’s the role of the president and treasurer of STHSA to review how that money is being spent and this does occur at the end of each school year. Regarding the need to submit an itemization of expenses with a budget request (the existing policy), this process means student organizations actually have a conversation about what’s happening in the forthcoming year and demonstrate to STHSA that these conversations occurred by giving us ideas of how they plan to spend the money they are requesting. Organizations are not restricted to the line-items for how you spend your budget, though (i.e. things come up and sometimes the events you want to do fall through).

We now have a standardized budget request form which we didn’t have in years prior before.

Haley voices concern with auditing money spent by student organizations because it takes away a sense of agency student organizations have when we give them money. She does acknowledge that it’s originally STHSA’s money, and thus understanding the desire to hold organizations accountable, but emphasizes this is a balance and trusting relationship.

Regarding the budget percentages:

Priority one was Community Lunch. Officers just met with Ashley Anderson about the Community Life Partnership that will help Community Lunch be cheaper than it was in the past. Thus STHSA will fund the five remaining Community Lunches by transferring money to this new group.

Student organizations was priority 2 and they have been funded already.

Student travel is the third priority and will be discussed at the next administrative meeting in November.

Any STH student can look at Haley’s spreadsheet on every transaction STHSA makes, we just have to ask. Joseph suggests figuring out a way to somehow publicize snapshots of the budget throughout the semester as Haley reconciles it each month.

Kourtni voices concern about not wanting to put too much strain on Haley/this position.

Ky states that if student organizations are not spending their full $800 (or requested amount) and those funds go back into STH at the end of the year, they’re funds we could have put toward one of the other budget priorities but didn’t know we were going to have the money to fund them. He suggests that STHSA can follow over the next few years how much money student organizations request from STHSA in comparison with how much they have spent. His thought is to develop a system for us to manage our funds in a way that allow us to maximize the disbursement of funds and reduce money becoming untouchable after it’s transferred to student organizations.

Haley asks for clarification on what Ky’s new budget request process would look like. Ky responds feels zero-line budgeting would establish a rapport for how student orgs tend to spend their money. Kourtni voices that student organization activities that occur are based on governing bodies of each org. Desi questions Ky’s ultimate goal. She wants to know if Ky wants STHSA to tell a new exec board of a student organization that because the previous exec board didn’t spend the full amount they requested this new exec board can no longer request the full amount possible in the future?

Haley asks if Ky imagines student organizations in the fall requesting a set amount of money for a particular event? A flat amount? A case by case basis?

Kourtni suggests a provision in the bylaws on student organization funding that very large organizations have the ability to request above the amount typically listed as the max for student organizations. This idea will be discussed at the bylaws meeting later this year.

Desi explains how approval for travel funding used to be approved and how it’s going to be handled now.

Desi lifts up that we operate with a budget because “money is what makes the world goes round”, but believes that as theologians, we work on a different system than a business, so we work with grace. She’ll have a very hard time saying to a given organization with a large membership that they can have more money because of their size while smaller organizations or starting organizations get less because of their size or bad leadership of the previous year.

Ky moves to end the discussion on the budget now. Laura seconds. Vote: 12-0-0

Desi request people bring concrete ideas for changes to policy to the bylaw discussion.

NEW BUSINESS

Josh Niforatos is interested in a group order of BU STH Fleeces, preferably Patagonia fleeces. Contact him or Kristen for more information.

Next week is a town hall meeting with the deans in place of the regular STHSA meeting. It will still be 1-2 on Thursday in the community space unless you hear otherwise.

REFLECTION: We light a candle to remember the people before us and those yet to come that are impacted by our actions now.

AGENDA

Kristen: Proposing the idea of sending people to The Clayroom in Brookline to paint coffee mugs for the new community space. It feels like a good way to have the student body that helped make this space possible leave a personalized lasting mark. Discussion:

Scheduling – Thursday, Nov. 7 (Desi and Robin leading the group) and Friday Nov. 8 (Kristen leading the group). At Clayroom by 6. People can meet us there or leave from STH around 5/5:15 and take the T.

No more than 25 mugs are needed. We should be mindful of that with the number of people. If more than 25 people are interested in going, we’ll need to either refuse people or discuss other items people could paint to be part of the space (i.e. decorative tiles).

The Spiritual Life office will contribute financially to this endeavor and Robin will attend the Thursday event.

First Community Lunch Celebration discussion:

Desi – The deans asked us to come up with a service/liturgy to open the space up for the students. The body agreed to do this during the Community Lunch next week.

There was talk about involving Robin/Spiritual Life office in this project

Haley has a liturgy for new spaces in Book of Uncommon Prayer

Desi in charge of coordinating to write the liturgy, Kourtni and Ky will help.

Stipend resolution discussion:

Important for STHSA to demonstrate attempting to understand the complexity of the situation in our wording.

Want to ensure we’re clear that the issue is the timing of stipends NOT the process by which we get the money (which is actually better for students).

After discussion and edits, Kourtni moved that we accept the resolution as it is presented. Anne seconded. Vote: 12-0-1

Budget process is still tabeled until the next meeting.

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Joseph – Next week’s meeting will be used as a pre-town hall meeting to get our brain juices going about what we might want to mention to the deans in the actual 10/31 town hall meeting. This will be first in the agenda next week.

Haley – attention student organization leaders: budget forms have been turned in to SAO for fall allocations so check YouDo to see if/when your group’s budget has arrived.

Haley – we’ve gotten our fall allocations and we’re currently around $22,000 right now without student budgets having been taken out of that.

Ashley – the Community Lunch Student group is approved and Haley and Ashley will handle transferring funds from STHSA to the organization.

Haley – $18,622 was our specific fall allocation and is about the same as last year.

Jason’s proposal of statement to BU currently written for the whole school

Resuming conversation about the budget process

Student Stipend Resolution

Jason explains the basic issue: The change in stipend process that came into effect this year has caused substantial problems. Previously, stipends were applied directly to student account which you then got the remainder after your student account was paid. Now, stipends are not disbursed until the fourth Friday of September and that’s a long time for grad students to go without stipends because many depend on stipends for upfront fall costs. This was an institution-wide change, not STH. STH has said they’re on our side and have done everything they can for us. We genuinely and whole-heartedly want to acknowledge and express appreciation for Robyn Kinch in particular for having the STH students’ backs. We believe the university made these changes in part to streamline the process as staff and faculty are also paid the fourth Friday of the month, so for tax/accounting purposes it makes it better for the university as a whole.

**NOTE: A copy of the adopted resolution can be found on the STHSA blog under Forms and Docs**

Discussion

STHSA should pursue the idea of working with other student organizations. We have connections at Public Health, Social Work, SMG, CAS already; Ashley is going to contact other school’s student association’s presidents.

Between the long and shorter version, Ian wants to include all of the shorter version and add from the longer version an acknowledgement of the complexity of the situation, as well as a call to other students to join STH in voicing and supporting this concern.

In a cover letter of the resolution, we will make sure to thank/acknowledge the work of Robyn Kinch so this resolution doesn’t seem like we don’t appreciate what she’s done for us.

Do we want to also include information about how the money is disbursed or only about the timing of the money? Jason – however we receive our money is irrelevant as long as it gets to us in time. Ky – if the university policy is to pay on the 24th (fourth Friday of the month), this is easier for the university. Ian and Kourtni – the issue is that this streamlined purpose is exponentially hurting the student body.

Ashley – need to clarify the point of the article

Jason – it’s coming into a middle of an existing conversation that’s been going on at the university level; we’re coming in mid-way asking other people to join us in acknowledging this problem before it gets worse.

A note about how the disbursement process was changed in both timing and form was included.

Ky – Active v. passive voice – wants the language more active overall

Ky moves to make the voice in the resolution active. Ashley seconds. Ky – with an active voice, we show how we were at the reciprocation of an action and this is an issue we need to have everybody be behind from the student body. Ashley – makes sense in some places and not in others. If Jason has the time he can go through and change as he feels it should happen. Ian – more interested in getting it out than deliberating on the language which would likely mean tabling it another week.

Resolved section – should we put the “unjust” language into this section?

Will upload this to Forms and Documents page of blog – please review it for a week and ponder today’s discussion then return next week and hopefully vote to send it out.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Taking snack requests for celebration of new basement community space party. Ashley will be emailing student groups to help with décor and food. From 1-4pm that Wednesday Oct 23.

Joseph offers a background of STHSA’s budgeting process: We are funded by SAO through our student fees – we get 3 allocations per year (Oct, Mar, June). We don’t know what the amounts actually are for allocations, though since they’re based both on the number of students and the amount of the fee. In the past 3 years, no formal budget breakdown was given to students, nor was any option for how STHSA would spend its income brought to the student body for discussion. Joseph and Haley went through the past two years of transactions and broke them into five categories (Community Lunch, STHSA Events, student travel, student org, savings). Last year, the executive board was more structured with STHSA’s money because STHSA started with a deficit. Last year, students also voted as a body on the priority of how we will spend our money and most of that went to Community Lunch. We’ll vote today for our budget priority distribution again and the poll will give a voice for the broader base in this community.

Poll results:

20% of budget to student organizations (not much spread)

50% to Community Lunch (not much spread)

10% to STHSA Events (not much spread)

10% to student travel (between 5-20% spread)

10% to savings (range of 5-15%)

Discussion:

Rumor has it that if we have too much left over from year to year SAO will reduce our allocations. Unsure the validity of this.

Student Organization Budgets

Concern was raised about the budget requesting process in part because of the potential for collaboration between groups which makes it unclear in the present moment how much organizations actually will need for particular events. It’s proposed that rather than organizations submitting a line-item budget that may or may not be the maximum a group can request, all student organizations are given the same amount of money and how they spend their money is reviewed at the end of the year.

Ky moves to have budgets reviewed at the end of the year per semester allocation. Tim 2nds. Discussion

Organizations could apply for a blanket amount and show how they spent their money

Motion edit: Ky moves to change the budget request process at the beginning of the semester to no longer require line items and that each semester, organizations will be audited by STHSA.

Jason moves to table this issue for consideration when the body next meets to discuss any changes in by-laws. Ian seconds. Vote: 8-2-6

Ky moves to keep the original amendment wording.

Returning to Budget Poll Priorities

#1 priority: Anne moves that Community Lunch be the first budget priority. Jess seconds. Vote: 16-0-1

#3 priority: Anne moves that student travel be the third budget priority. Ian seconds. Discussion: In the future, there is a desire to have a voice about how much money given to student travel because funds are coming from STHSA. Vote: 12-1-4

Opening ritual reminds us about those who have come before us and about those whose will come after us that are impacted by our actions today.

AGENDA

Elections

Fliers at STHSA

Student stipend issue

Thanks to those that made the student organization modified fair such a great success!

ELECTIONS

Library Faculty Committee – The masters candidate for this committee was re-voted on because of an oversight by the president and secretary last week that left off one of the candidate’s names. After the new vote, Ky Scott was nominated by those assembled to represent the masters students on this committee. The faculty and previous nominee will be notified of this oversight and change. The faculty on this committee ultimately have the final say in how they proceed.

STHSA officer voting issue

The way the instructions were worded on the STHSA election ballot asked students to only vote for representatives which would represent them (ex: only doctoral students vote for doctoral representative, only international students vote for international representative). This was how voting was done several years ago before voting was electronic. However, the past few years of voting have allowed everyone to vote for all positions regardless of if that position represents them or not. Several students raised this difference in instructions and some voted for all positions anyway, while others followed the instructions, making the results skewed.

Moving forward we could:

1) Vote to accept results as is

2) Vote for uncontested results and re-vote for two contested elections

3) Vote to redo entire election, all positions, that say everyone can vote for everyone.

Discussion on these options raised the concerns that

Some feel uncomfortable having a say for a position that won’t represent the voter

Some want to vote for all positions because, if you’re a regular attendee and/or officer of STHSA, these are the people we’ll be working with regularly

Some proposed a change to the section on voting in the by-laws that will articulate how we will expect people to vote. Such a proposal would take effect for next school year.

Ky moved to adopt solution 2: to accept the uncontested positions and re-vote for the two contested positions in a new election. Kourtni, Ian, and Laura seconded. Motion passed 16-1-2. Dates were set for the re-vote for Monday September 30 – Wednesday October 2 at 5pm. Uncontested winners will be alerted after the re-vote as well so that all new positions come in on an even timeline. The by-law change has been tabled until we address changes to the by-laws later in the school year. This is typically done once a year, but we can make changes once a semester, so will discuss later this semester as to whether we will address this issue in the fall or spring.

FLIERS

Ashley – Mid-way through 2012-2013 year, a moratorium was made against posting fliers in STH primarily for aesthetical reasons. Now, however, we’re in a place where no one can advertise anything except in two locked cabinets and a tiny pin board by the elevators. The student body wants a solution for what to do while there’s no basement access as well as a spelled out approach of how to negotiate this issue. We are empowered to say this is what we want to see and here’s our plan for doing it. For example, plastic paper holders that can be affixed to the wall and paper be slid into them, maybe put in a 3×3 set up in the basement as well as on doors, entrances, elevator lobby, etc. These are the same places we used to hang fliers but in a more organized manner. Other discussion included:

Larger bulletin boards in more areas might be doable.

Plastic holders get dirty and scratched and bad looking too.

Somebody, for example, Ashley, could be a screener for approving fliers before they were put up. This person could potentially also be in charge of hanging them.

Possibly take larger board on first floor outside deans’ suite for the time being, but ultimately need something from the basement to the 3rd floor. The first floor board could go back to being admissions advertising when TV is installed.

Not unprofessional to have fliers advertising STH organizations and their events because it shows there’s an active student body.

Ashley and Kristen will work to draft something to send to the administration.

Student Stipend Issue

Jason – The university-wide new policy states that stipended students only get their stipends on the fourth Friday of September but that four week difference is really problematic for students who rely on stipends for upfront semester costs. Students are concerned about what to do and also want it noted this isn’t an STH issue but a larger BU issue. Discussion included:

1) Put a resolution out?

2) Administration did get rid of late fees for us but that doesn’t really help students with the up-front fees associated with each semester.

3) Ashley – we as the gathered body could formally request that AdCab of STH could fight for us.

4) Jason – resolution of concern for situation and appreciation for the complexity then begin organizing and taking it to other student groups in other schools.

Moving forward, those gathered agreed that a resolution to be sent to AdCab that voices appreciation and respect for the work they have done so far, and asks them to advocate on our behalf to the larger administration that a change is needed in how stipends are released. Two documents will be drafted: one for internal STH to work with us on this and one for graduate students at BU as a whole. We are not yet taking for action but just saying this is a point of concern for us and asking for discussion around it. Jason will have a draft for next week’s meeting.

NEW BUSINESS

Emma – Dance Salsa, Eat Salsa at 6-7:30 in Meulder Chapel on Thursday

Pippa – get more events that include dancing b/c basement big room has a dance floor

Please click the link above to download the minutes from September 19. They’re also displayed below.

STHSA Meeting September 19, 2013

Attendees:

Joseph Kyser MDiv ’14 – president

Desi Sharp MDiv ’14 – vice president

Kate Byers MDiv ‘15

Emma Escobar MDiv ‘14

Anne Hillman, ThD 5th year

Jess Chicka, ThD 3rd year

Ashley Anderson, MDiv/MSW ‘14

Calissa Dauterman, MDiv ‘14

Lauren Hickey, MDiv ‘15

Johnny Gall, MDiv ‘15

Laura Owen, MDiv ‘15

Haley Jones, MDiv ’15 – treasurer

Carrie Swanson, MDiv ‘16

Jason Blakeburn, MTS ‘14

Tim Snyder, PhD

Gina Zurlo, PhD

Kristen Redford, MDiv ’15 – secretary

Kevin Washington, MDiv ‘15

Heiseung Lee, MDiv ‘15

Kaneisha Howard, MDiv ‘15

Joseph opens with agenda for today followed by opening moment of silence to remember people came before us and people come after us and the decisions we make influence those who come after us.

STHSA REPRESENTATIVE AND OFFICER ELECTIONS

Community Life Committee: Lambert Rahming (MDiv) and Kate Soules (non-MDiv) have been chosen by a majority of those assembled that voted to be recommended to the faculty.

Contextual Education and Lifelong Learning (CELL): Brian Teed (MDiv) and Lindsay Queener (MTS) have been chosen by a majority of those assembled that voted to be recommended to the faculty.

Academic Policies, Procedures, and Fellowship (AAPF): Sam Lyons (MDiv) and Jason Blakeburn (MTS) have been chosen by a majority of those assembled that voted to be recommended to the faculty.

Theology Faculty Search Committee: Greylyn Hydinger (Masters) and Jess Chicka (Doctoral) have been chosen by a majority of those assembled that voted to be recommended to the faculty.

Library Committee: Nathan Hoefgen-Harvey (Masters) and Soren Hessler (Doctoral) have been chosNe by a majority of those assembled that voted to be recommended to the faculty.

STHSA open positions

The open positions for STHSA representatives and officer are Doctoral Representative, International Student Representative, MDiv Representative, Non-MDiv Representative, First Year Representative, and Public Relations Officer.

Sarah Miller is nominated for International Student Representative

Colin Burns is nominated for Non-MDiv Representative

Jason Blakeburn is nominated for Non-MDiv Representative

Budget/Reimbursement Request Procedures

Haley explains where to find the two kinds of budget request forms on the newly updated STHSA website. There are two kinds of budget request forms: one for student organizations and one for student interest groups. Student organization’s budget requests are due October 1, and representatives from clubs should be present at the STHSA meeting on October 3 to discuss their proposed budgets. The budget request form asks for the entire year’s budget, which is a maximum $800, but only $400 will be disbursed per semester unless you can justify why you need more than $400 for the fall semester. Send completed form to Haley or STHSA. haleymj@bu.edu.

Budget Poll

Joseph clarifies that the budget poll will not be determinative on its own, but rather used in conversation during the October 3 meeting to discuss if STHSA will change how it spends its money. He encourages people to fill it out and to remind their fellow STH classmates and peers to vote as well. It is anonymous, so no one will know how people vote specifically. If you cannot come to the meeting, but want a voice at the meeting, email one of the STHSA officers or have a friend who will be at the meeting speak on your behalf.

Registering Student Organizations

Desi reminds representatives of student organizations that they must have a full slate of officers and a faculty advisor as well as scheduled event throughout the year and turn in this information to SAO by September 30 in order to receive money this year. Existing student organizations should be able to do this easily. New student organizations have extra paperwork to do and should attempt to begin the process ASAP. Students interested in a particular activity form a Student Interest Group through STHSA and can request money from STHSA for a one-off event without getting registered through SAO. Student Interest Groups can ask for up to half of what a student organization can request.

New officers of student organizations need to be listed as officers in YouDo or else SAO won’t take your signature sheet. This is also true for your faculty advisor if you have changed from last year.

Student Organization Fair

On September 26, we will be hosting an organization fair on the BU Beach from 12-2pm. Each student group needs to tell me if you’re coming and how many representatives you will have attending so we can plan for the number of groups per table. Do not bring food. If we will have food at all is up in the air right now. It’s recommended that organizations bring a signup sheet for students to write their name and email addresses, as well as information on events they will or have had.

NEW BUSINESS

Jason Blakeburn voices a desire to take some form of collective action either within STHSA or across the university that graduate stipends be disbursed the fourth Friday in August instead of the fourth Friday in September (which is the current arrangement). The current arrangement severely inconveniences all students with stipends and often means a hold winds up being placed on their account because they can’t pay their balances.